Kiama council's $8k tourism board audit

By
ALEX ARNOLD

Kiama's councillors have agreed to spend more than $8000 on a governance review of Kiama Tourism - even though the tourism body is a separate entity to the council.

After concerns were raised with the council over the "ongoing problems" the board appeared to be having, Kiama councillors requested Kiama Tourism appoint a consultant to review the operations of the board following a confidential debate in December.

Kiama mayor Brian Petschler said Kiama Tourism had agreed to a review and the council agreed to pay for it because it was the council's request.

Last week councillors, when appointing the firm InConsult to conduct the review, added a clause that the review seek input and comment from people who had served on the board over the past two years.

Kiama Tourism chair Brian Longbottom said the board was to meet this week as to whether they would agree to the revised terms.

Cr Petschler said although Kiama Tourism was a separate entity, the council had a very important stake in the tourism body with the council contributing $250,000 each year, as well as having two councillors and the general manager Michael Forsyth on the board.

However Cr Dennis Seage question why the council would spend $8470 of ratepayers' money on a review when the council itself had a great deal of expertise, asking if it was possible to have a council board of inquiry.

"I don't have any problems with their books, figures or work ethic - it comes to personalities," Cr Seage said.

"I don't think we need to pay $8470 to get answers that we already know."

Cr Neil Reilly said it was important to look at all members of the board, past and present.

"If you have a board that is divided, and you have one half of the board who have resigned, been forced to resign or through other circumstances disappeared you don't get the full picture."